Call to prayer ahead of EU departure

Christians are being encouraged to pray as we approach the date when the United Kingdom is scheduled to leave the European Union

The Presidents of Churches Together in England (CTE), together with its partners Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, have called on the churches to prayer, particularly from Wednesday 28 March to Sunday 31 March.

'The Presidents urge churches in our nation to find ways to pray, and to enable church buildings to be opened for any in their communities seeking a space for prayer,' said CTE General Secretary the Revd Dr Paul Goodliff. 'Churches Together in England supports every opportunity for local churches to pray together and urges Churches Together Groups and other expressions of Christian unity to take hold of this moment to pray together for our nations.

'This builds on other calls to prayer from member churches over recent months and reflects the increasing urgency of the moment as Brexit approaches.'

Paul noted that the Presidents of Churches Together in England and other church leaders (including our General Secretary Lynn Green) meet to pray at 10.30 am on Saturday 30 March in central London

'Churches throughout the nations may wish to join in similar expressions of prayerful concern for the future of the peoples and nations in the British Isles and Ireland, and beyond, during that morning,' he said.

We are currently scheduled to leave the European Union on 29 March. Prime Minister Theresa May has written to the European Council President Donald Tusk to request that Brexit be postponed for three months.

Baptists have also been encouraged to write to their MPs with messages of support in light of the vitriolic tone of conversation in the current political climate. 'As Christians, we do not have to agree with those who represent us to pray and to care for them (1 Tim 2:1-2),' said the statement from Lynn Green.

'We know that MPs are receiving high numbers of hate mail, which can only have a negative effect on them and their staff in an already stressful environment.

'As part of our call to prayer for Brexit this week, we therefore want to invite you to be part of changing the tone of the discussion and to contact your MP with words of compassion, letting them know that they are in your thoughts and prayers as they seek a good path forward.'